Don Henley, Ken Burns, Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers Set for WALDEN Film Premiere at Boston College

Musician Don Henley and filmmakers Ken Burns, Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers will host the premiere of Burns executive produced film, "Walden" on November 8th at Boston College.

Following the screening, Burns, Henley and the Ewers Brothers will have a discussion and take audience questions on the film moderated by CNN Presidential Historian Douglas Brinkley.

Tickets for the November 8 event are available at www.bc.edu/tickets or by calling (617) 552-4800. "Walden" will be available for public viewing at walden.org following the premiere.

"Walden" is narrated by Robert Redford. Kevin Conway is THE VOICE of Thoreau. The brief documentary was created for the Walden Pond Visitor Center. The film by Ewers Brothers Productions was produced by Julie Coffman, and executive produced by Ken Burns.

The film explores the writings of Thoreau and looks at how his life and work continue to provide inspiration for an environmental movement that is critical to the health of our country and the world. This year marks the bicentennial O. Henry David Thoreau's birth.

A clip about the film can be seen here!

"I've long been interested in Thoreau," said Burns. "But like others, I'm increasingly drawn not just to the eloquence of his writings but also to the importance of them as we urgently look to create greater awareness and appreciation of nature and the environment. His legacy, so beautifully preserved by the Walden Woods Project, is a call to action for all of us. We must rethink how we as a nation treat our land and natural resources. The awe and wonder that Thoreau found at Walden, and along his many walks, must infuse how we look at and experience nature. It is critical to our ability to heal the planet."

Don Henley stressed the importance of the film, saying, "There is no better way to encourage youth toward active engagement in the preservation of the planet than to awaken their intrinsic sense of wonder derived from communion with nature. Walden Pond - the birthplace of the conservation movement -- is the ideal location to foster such an ethic of environmental stewardship in people of all ages. This inspirational film will be seen by visitors from around the world who come to Walden Pond. Following the example set by Thoreau, they will be urged to consider their own "Waldens"; their own special places; why these places throughout the world matter; and why we must strive to protect them, not only for ourselves, but for future generations."

"Most people would describe the woods at Walden as 'ordinary,'" said co-directors Erik and Christopher Loren Ewers. "But we sought to capture Walden Pond's natural surroundings through Henry David Thoreau's unique lens. His discoveries inspired him to write one of history's most important essays about the relationship between nature and humankind, and through his works he reminds us who we are, how we live, and how too often we fall into 'lives of quiet desperation.' In today's environmentally challenged climate, the words of this 19th century prophet are more relevant than ever, imploring us to re-evaluate our responsibility to the larger world and, as Thoreau said, to 'Simplify! Simplify!'"

Thoreau was born two hundred years ago (1817) in Concord, MA, not far from Walden Pond, where he famously lived and wrote in the mid-19th century. The writer/philosopher is widely known around the world for his dual influences on natural resource conservation and passive resistance/non-violent protest. Thoreau's Walden has been translated into 20 modern languages; most recently into Farsi. His essay, "Civil Disobedience" continues to guide global human rights struggles. Thoreau's timeless writings challenge the individual to lead a life of simplicity, principle and purpose, and derive a sense of spiritual renewal from nature. His thoughts could not be more timely or contemporary, in view of the ongoing planetary challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity.

The nonprofit Walden Woods Project (walden.org) is coordinating the premiere of the short documentary "Walden" on Wednesday, November 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Boston College's Robsham Theater. In 1990, Don Henley founded the organization to protect the historic woods near Walden Pond from encroaching development. Since then, the Walden Woods Project has grown into a preeminent preservation and environmental education organization. Through conservation, education, research and advocacy, the Walden Woods Project preserves the land, literature and legacy O. Henry David Thoreau in order to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. As part of its mission, the organization partners with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts/Department of Conservation and Recreation on programs and interpretation at the Walden Pond State Reservation, a state park visited annually by over a half million people from around the world.

Tickets for the November 8 event are available at www.bc.edu/tickets or by calling (617) 552-4800. "Walden" will be available for public viewing at walden.org following the premiere.

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